Cuba strongly rejects European Parliament Resolution

The Cuban People´s Power Assembly issued an statement strongly rejecting a Resolution on Cuba approved by the European Parliament this July 5 in Strasburg, France.

We now reproduce the full text on the Declaration:

Declaration of the Commission on International Relations of the National People’s Power Assembly in response to the Resolution on Cuba adopted by the European Parliament on July 5, 2017.

The Commission on International Relations of the National People’s Power Assembly strongly rejects the unacceptable Resolution on Cuba that has just been adopted by the European Parliament, for it runs counter to the principles of respect, equality and reciprocity contained in the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement that was signed in Brussels on December 12, 2016, by Cuba, the European Union and its member States.

Using as a pretext its consent to the provisional implementation of said Agreement, the European Parliament issued a statement that distorts our reality, suggests recipes that Cuba does not need, interferes in the internal affairs of States and raises arguments that are extremely harmful to the sovereignty of the Cuban people.

The Resolution adopted by the European Parliament stands in contrast to the positive development of Cuba’s relations with the European Commission, the European External Action Service and the member States of that community bloc.

Some Euro deputies, with an extensive anti-Cuban record, who are opposed to the advancement of relations between Cuba and the European Union, promoted the adoption of that Resolution, which is unnecessary, inopportune and has a remarkable colonialist content, through which they intend to lecture on democracy and human rights, ignoring that the unilateral, discriminatory and selective policies that characterized the European Union position towards Cuba in the past have been superseded.

Even though the non-legislative Resolution of the Euro Chamber makes a timid reference to extraterritorial laws and measures, it fails to mention the Helms-Burton Act or the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, which is contrary to international law and violates the human rights of the Cuban people. Curiously enough, the Resolution is silent on the tightening of the blockade and the travel ban that prevents US citizens from traveling to Cuba. Instead, it seems to be anchored in the rhetoric used by President Donald Trump to announce measures aimed at pleasing the aged anti-Cuban ultra-right and terrorist minority that accompanied him when he made such announcements in Miami.

The European Parliament should rather take care of the profound and increasing deterioration of the confidence of European citizens in the institutions of that community, which is evidenced by the very low turnout observed in political and electoral processes; the increase of xenophobia and segregationist practices against minorities in the territory of the Union; as well as the lack of solidarity and a sense of historical responsibility when handling the waves of refugees who come from Africa and the Middle East, which have continued to take a toll on human lives.

The Euro Chamber should likewise take care of the galloping corruption among European political sectors; the increasing deterioration of social security systems, particularly those associated to health; the prevalence of high unemployment rates, especially among young people; and the little progress achieved in Europe in terms of gender equality.

We don’t recognize the European Parliament as being entitled in any way to address issues that are of the exclusive competence of the Cuban people, which continue to build its socialist, democratic, sovereign and independent future.